Graduate Student Survival Guide Department of Computer Science Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA Last updated: August 16, 2011

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1 Graduate Student Survival Guide Department of Computer Science Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA Last updated: August 16, 2011

2 1 GADUATE STUDIES DEGEE CHECKLISTS FAQS DEGEE OPTIONS COUSES AND EGISTATIONS PLANS OF STUDY TANSFEING COUSES

3 1 Graduate Studies 101 Welcome to graduate studies at The Associate Head for Graduate Studies (AGS) is the faculty member in charge of graduate studies. The Graduate Coordinator (GC) is the staff person in charge of working with you as you pursue your degree goals. The initial academic advisor (IAA) serves as the initial academic advisor to all incoming students till they find a research advisor. The current AGS is Dr. Naren amakrishnan. The current GC is Ms. Sharon Kinder- Potter. The current IAA is Dr. Manuel Perez. All pertinent information about the graduate program is available in the CS Graduate Handbook (available from ; Click on Graduate on the left tab; see Handbook on the right tab). The handbook is your bible; it has been revised over the years to be exhaustive in content as much as possible. This survival guide should be used as an index to the graduate handbook. It doesn t cover all the details and is meant to be a quick reference. Graduate student life is considerably different from life as an undergraduate student. You are expected to have a significant amount of self-initiative in fulfilling your degree goals and the department s goal is to facilitate it. Thus, you will not find people/staff chasing after you to ensure that you have satisfied your degree requirements that is upto you. There are two entities involved in your graduate education: the CS department and the Graduate School. The Graduate School oversees all graduate degrees in the university and is the entity that actually admits you and awards your degrees. The CS department serves to administer the program and the awarding of degree. During the course of your stay here, there are many forms you will need to fill out. Some forms are within department forms (i.e., they originate and stay within the department) and others are meant to communicate with the graduate school. Irrespective of the type of form and where it is supposed to go, submit ALL forms to the GC. Bypass the GC at your own peril since forms can sometimes disappear (!) the GC works in your best interests and will make local copies of forms, help track them, and their progress. Forms will need signatures of your advisors and often the AGS/Department Head. DO NOT TY TO HUNT DOWN THE AGS/DEPATMENT HEAD. Submit the forms modulo their signatures to the GC. This is because these people are very busy (they cater to >250 students and are in meetings all the time) and if all you need is their signatures, the GC knows more efficient ways of getting in touch with them. If you directly contact the AGS/Department Head, you can be sure that you have slowed down your form s progress. 3

4 2 Degree Checklists MS Thesis Students equired/ Optional? What you should do Accumulate 21 coursework credits using 7 courses that span 4 different areas By when you should do it End of your final Accumulate 9 credits of CS 5994 End of your final Accumulate 3 credits of CS 5944 End of your third O Finalize thesis topic, advisor, and an advisory committee of 3 faculty members (including advisor) Transfer upto 3 courses from prior graduate work File an MS plan of study (POS); if any of the courses in your POS are more than 5 years old, also submit a course justification form Make sure your POS is consistent w.r.t. the courses you have taken Submit an Application for Degree (AFD) Form Schedule an MS final defense exam using the equest to Admit Candidate to the Final Exam form Successfully pass your final exam Submit your ETD Approval Form Make sure to be registered in the plan to graduate End of second semester of study End of second semester of study End of second semester of study By the beginning of your final semester of study By the beginning of the plan to graduate Submit paperwork at least two weeks before the date you intend to have for the exam (typically in your final semester) On the date of your final exam Within two weeks from the date of the final exam (see above) Notes Sections 5.1.1, 5.1.2, Section 9 Section 8 Section 10 If POS needs to be updated, file a Change of Plan of Study form Can be done online through HokieSPA; HokieSPA can also used to confirm intent to participate in commencement Section 5.1.4; earlier deadlines might apply if you intend to participate in commencement Give signed exam card to GC, who will make a copy and pass it onto the Graduate School Earlier deadlines might apply if you intend to participate in commencement See also section of the graduate handbook. If you have been away for more than one calendar year, see also Sec

5 MS Coursework Students equired/ Optional? What you should do Accumulate 33 coursework credits using 11 courses that span 5 different areas By when you should do it End of your final Accumulate 3 credits of CS 5944 End of your third Decide whether you will do an Independent Study (CS 5974; as one of the 11 courses) XO take the Ph.D. qualifying exam to satisfy your M.S. coursework final exam requirements End of second O Transfer upto 3 courses from prior graduate work File an MS plan of study (POS); if any of the courses in your POS are more than 5 years old, also submit a course justification form Make sure your POS is consistent w.r.t. the courses you have taken Submit an Application for Degree (AFD) Form Fill out Degree Verification Form Successfully complete either CS 5974 or pass the Ph.D. qualifying exam (at the M.S. level) Make sure to be registered in the plan to graduate End of second End of second By the beginning of your final semester of study By the beginning of the plan to graduate Submit to GC by the beginning of the plan to graduate By the end of the plan to graduate Notes handbook, Sections 5.1.1, 5.1.2, handbook, Section handbook, Section 8 handbook, Section 10 If POS needs to be updated, file a Change of Plan of Study form Can be done online through HokieSPA; HokieSPA can also used to confirm intent to participate in commencement handbook, Section See also section of the graduate handbook. If you have been away for more than 1 calendar year, see also Sec

6 Ph.D Students getting an MS on the way (only the MS parts are shown here): equired/ Optional? What you should do Complete (pass) the Ph.D. Qualifying Process Have an approved Ph.D. Plan of Study (POS) on file Complete 33 coursework credits and 3 seminar (CS 5944) credits listed on your Ph.D. POS File an MS plan of study (POS); your Ph.D. POS cannot be reused, you will have to explicitly file a separate MS POS. Fill out Degree Verification Form Submit an Application for Degree (AFD) Form By when you should do it By the semester in which you want your MS on the way degree By the semester in which you want your MS on the way degree By the semester in which you want your MS on the way degree By the semester in which you want your MS on the way degree Submit to GC by the beginning of the want your MS on the way degree By the beginning of the want your MS on the way degree Make sure to be registered In the semester in which you want your MS on the way degree Notes handbook, Sections 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3, 6.2.1, 7 handbook, Section 10. handbook, Section CANNOT be done online through HokieSPA. You must file a paper form. If you have been away for more than one calendar year, see graduate handbook, Section

7 PhD Students equired/ Optional? What you should do Accumulate 33 coursework credits using 11 courses that span 5 different areas Accumulate sufficient credits of CS 7994 to 90 (total=coursework + CS 7994) credits By when you should do it End of your final End of your final Accumulate 3 credits of CS 5944 End of your third Plan out how you will fulfill qualifying process requirements as a combination of (exam + GPA + research) End of your first O O O Take Ph.D. Qualifying Exam in a cognizant area Begin engaging in research with a faculty member Transfer upto 5 courses from prior graduate work Complete Ph.D. Qualifying process Finalize PhD thesis topic, advisor, and an advisory committee of 5 faculty members (including advisor) File a PhD plan of study (POS); if any of the courses in your POS are more than 5 years old, also submit a course justification form Schedule a PhD preliminary proposal exam using the equest to Admit Candidate to the Preliminary Exam form Successfully pass your PhD preliminary exam Schedule a PhD research defense exam with your committee Either the first possible Spring or the next Spring semester Second semester of study End of second semester of study 30 months from date of entering the program; earlier deadlines might apply After passing Ph.D. Qualifying Process, as soon as possible After passing Ph.D. Qualifying Process, as soon as possible Exam must be taken months from completion of PhD Qualifing process; submit paperwork at least two weeks before the date you intend to have for the exam On the date of your preliminary exam months from passing your PhD Notes Sections 5.2.1, 5.2.2, Section 6.2, Section 6.2, Helpful in garnering you research points Section 8 Section 6.2, Section 9 Section 10 Section Give signed exam card to GC, who will make a copy and pass it onto the Graduate School No forms necessary; this is a within-department exam (see 7

8 Make sure your POS is consistent w.r.t. the courses you have taken Submit an Application for Degree (AFD) Form Schedule a PhD final defense exam using the equest to Admit Candidate to the Final Exam form Successfully pass your final exam Submit your ETD Approval Form Make sure to be registered in the plan to graduate preliminary exam By the beginning of your final semester of study By the beginning of the plan to graduate 6-9 months after passing your research defense; Submit paperwork at least two weeks before the date you intend to have for the exam (typically in your final semester) On the date of your final exam Within two weeks from the date of the PhD final exam (see above) Section 6.2.3); ask your committee chair to send to the AGS after completion of exam If POS needs to be updated, file a Change of Plan of Study form Can be done online through HokieSPA; HokieSPA can also used to confirm intent to participate in commencement Section 6.2.4; earlier deadlines might apply if you intend to participate in commencement Give signed exam card to GC, who will make a copy and pass it onto the Graduate School Earlier deadlines might apply if you intend to participate in commencement See also section of the graduate handbook. If you have been away for more than one calendar year, see also Sec

9 3 FAQs 3.1 Degree Options Do I need an M.S. before I do a Ph.D.? Here's the long answer first. In some parts of the world, you are required to complete an M.S. before you are admitted to a Ph.D. program. Virginia Tech (and most universities in the US) follow a different approach. You could be admitted to the Ph.D. program straight out of your B.S. - it really depends on what your degree objective is. That said, the requirements for a Ph.D. are a superset of the M.S. (coursework) requirements. So you have the option (but not the obligation) of obtaining a Virginia Tech M.S. "on the way" as you complete the coursework requirement of your Ph.D. degree (irrespective of whether you entered with/without an M.S. degree from elsewhere). Some advisors, even if your goal is a Ph.D., might advise you to attempt an M.S. thesis first. This is to give you an abbreviated experience of what a research degree involves, and many students find this experience useful. The short answer is hence "No." I would like to change my degree goal from M.S. to Ph.D., or from Ph.D. to M.S. How do I do that? Submit a "Change of Degree Status" form. Available on the Forms page. Submit the form to the GC. Once the department approves and sends the request to the graduate school, verify on your Hokiespa that the change is reflected. After that point, move on to fulfilling the goals of your new program. In particular, ensure you register for the right credit hours. M.S. students register for CS Ph.D. students register for CS These "currencies" are not convertible, so do not take hours that you cannot use later What about if I want to change from M.S. coursework to M.S. thesis, or from M.S. thesis to M.S. coursework? The answer depends on whether you have a plan of study filed with the graduate school (you can verify on your Hokiespa account). If a plan of study has been filed with one option (e.g., "Thesis"), then the graduate school assumes you are going to do a M.S. thesis. In other words, it has become "official" that you will do an M.S. thesis. You must file a "Thesis Option Change equest" form to request a change to coursework. If a plan of study has not been filed, then nothing is official yet, and you don't have to do anything. When the time comes to file it, just indicate the correct option in it What if I want to change my advisor or advisory committee? Same as above. Is it official with the graduate school, i.e., does the graduate school have a plan of study on file for you? If so, then you have to file a "Change of Committee-Advisor" form (see notes on "Plans of Study" below). Else, you don't have to do anything. At the time of filing a plan of study, indicate the correct advisor/advisory committee. 3.2 Courses and egistrations I have taken CS 6604 "Digital Libraries" last semester. Can I take the "Tools for Online Education" course next semester which also appears to have the same number CS 6604? You can always take courses. You are probably enquiring if both of them can count toward your plan of study. The answer is "yes". Most 6000-level courses in CS are advanced topics courses. As the catalog description in the graduate handbook says, this course "treats a specific advanced topic of current research interest in the area of data and information. May be repeated with different content for a maximum of 12 credit hours." So, not only can you take CS 6604 again, you can take it again two more times! 9

10 3.2.2 I would like to audit a course instead of taking it for credit. What does this involve? An audit course appears as such on your transcript but does not earn you credits that will go toward the calculation of GPA or to satisfy any degree requirements. To audit a course, talk to the instructor first to see what is involved. Some instructors will require you to complete an abbreviated portion of the assignments to earn an audit grade. Others might have more stringent/less stringent requirements. Since different instructors have different expectations, it is in your best interests to discuss this with the instructor of the specific course I am interested in taking course <some course> which is listed as an online course in the VT course catalog. Can I be allowed to take this course for credit? Can it count toward my degree? Online courses are primary intended for students in other programs (e.g., professional degrees) and for students registered in virtual campuses. Click on the CN of the course (which is a five-digit number). This will bring up a page that shows details of the course and any restrictions (if applicable). That will tell you whether you would be allowed to register for the course. As for whether it can count toward your CS degree, consult the graduate handbook. See if this course is a CS or cognate course approved for graduate credit. If not, it will not count toward your degree I am really really keen to take CS 5044 (Object Oriented Programming in Java). Can you let me take it? You don't need permission to take any course. But the course cannot count toward your graduate degree requirements because this is a course specifically designed for non-majors. It is appropriately placed at the 5000 level, not because it is graduate level CS material, but because it is targeted at graduate students in non-cs departments. Click on the CN of the course in the registrar's catalog to see details of the course and restrictions. Furthermore, programming courses are considered as pre-requisites to our graduate program; so if you claim lack of experience in such courses as justification to take them for graduate credit, you will probably be advised to discontinue your graduate studies and apply for undergraduate studies I am taking/have taken course <some CS course> that is cross-listed with <some department>. The course is being offered/will be offered by a <some department> professor, not a CS professor. So my question is: will this count as a CS course or as a <some department> course? Any cross-listed course will count as a CS course irrespective of who is teaching/taught it. 3.3 Plans of Study What is a plan of study? This is a document where you specify the courses that you have taken plus the courses that you intend to take, that together will help you complete your degree. It also specifies the faculty members who will serve as the examining committee. A plan of study form can be obtained from the Forms page. Once it is filed, the plan of study becomes an official university document. The graduate school says that once the plan of study is approved, it serves as a "contract" between you and the university about what you need to do to obtain your degree Can I submit a plan of study with just the courses and decide my committee later? No. They go together. It is the committee who is certifying that this is a good plan of study for you, so it doesn't make sense to just have the courses listed without anybody approving the list. 10

11 3.3.3 Is the POS binding? Can I change my mind later after submitting it? What if a course I intend to take later is not offered? What if I change my degree emphasis from HCI to scientific computing? What if I shift from thesis to non-thesis? From M.S. to Ph.D.? What if I change my committee? What if I change my advisor? It is not binding but having a POS on file declares your seriousness for graduate studies. Once a POS is filed, it can be changed numerous times, as needed. For change of degree or thesis/non-thesis option, you will need to change your degree program first. See FAQ under "Degree Programs". Then file a new POS. For all other changes, see below What do I need to do to change a POS? Since a POS = courses + committee, the answer depends on whether you want to update the courses or update the composition of your committee. There are separate forms for each. Use either the "Plan of Study Change" form (if you are changing the courses) or "Change of Committee-Advisor" form (if you are changing the committee). Available from the Forms page What if I want to change both courses and the committee? Do I need to submit two forms? Yes Okay, then who should sign in the "Plan of Study Change"? The old committee, or the new committee? Assume you are a computer scientist. Create a DAG of tasks and dependencies. Conduct a topological sort. You will see that in most cases it doesn't matter This seems quite complicated. Why can't I just submit a fresh POS and be done with it? The system is designed to preserve obvious sensibilities. For instance, you cannot (unceremoniously) drop a professor from your committee without him/her (or the rest of the committee) knowing about it, and so on I already have a PhD POS on file and need to submit an MS POS (or vice versa). If the courses and committee in one are a subset/superset of the other, can I just use inheritance to create the new POS? No. Please submit a fresh POS form I am having trouble obtaining signatures for my POS. My advisor is on travel, one of my committee members is at a different university, etc. What do I do? They can either fax their approval or authorize a faculty member here to sign for them indicating their approval. 3.4 Transferring Courses 11

12 3.4.1 How many/what courses can I transfer toward my graduate studies here? Any graduate level course that has not been used to satisfy the requirements for an undergraduate degree can be used toward your M.S. and/or Ph.D. plan of study here. Masters students can transfer upto 3 courses and Ph.D. students can transfer upto 5 courses. You can only transfer a course if your grade in that course is a B/equivalent or more Can I transfer a course even if there is no exact equivalent course here on the CS@VT graduate catalog? Yes you can. You just need a faculty member to certify that this is indeed a graduate level course of CS subject content How would that work? I have taken a course on "Fantastic Algorithms". Sounds like this is a course in the general theory/algorithms area. Seek out a professor in that area and look at the FAQ "How do I proceed with the paperwork?" below I have taken graduate courses in country <your country>. The grading system there is different from the A-F used in the United States. Can I transfer these courses? This is beyond the jurisdiction of the department. The graduate school is responsible for determining the equivalence of courses across different grading systems and whether a transfer to a grade of B or better can be approved. Work with the GC who can first determine if the graduate school will be acceptable to the transfer. If the answer is yes, then fill out the paperwork as stated below I have taken graduate courses in country <your country> where the courses are 2 credit (or 1 credit). I claim they are really equivalent to the 3-credit courses here. Can I transfer these courses? This is beyond the jurisdiction of the department. The graduate school is responsible for determining the equivalence of credit hours across different grading systems and whether such a transfer can be approved. Work with the GC who can first determine if the graduate school will be acceptable to the transfer. If the answer is yes, then fill out the paperwork as stated below The courses I plan to transfer are quarter courses, rather than semester courses here at VT. I claim they are really equivalent to the 3-credit courses here. Can I transfer these courses? This is beyond the jurisdiction of the department. The graduate school is responsible for determining the equivalence of credit hours across different grading systems and whether such a transfer can be approved. Work with the GC who can first determine if the graduate school will be acceptable to the transfer. If the answer is yes, then fill out the paperwork as stated below Can I transfer research hours, i.e., thesis (CS 5994) or dissertation (CS 7994) hours? No Can I transfer cognate courses (i.e., outside-cs courses) and use them in my plan of study? 12

13 Yes Can I transfer project/independent study courses? i.e., ones where I, individually, work with a professor to implement a system or explore a research problem? No. Such courses are equivalent to CS 5974 (Independent Study) courses and they cannot be transferred So what can I transfer courses as? You can transfer courses as 4000-, 5000-, or 6000-level CS courses. You can also transfer them as other department (cognate) courses. All of these can be used toward your graduate plan of study here How do I proceed with the paperwork? For each course that you want to transfer, fill out a credit transfer form, available from the Forms page. Identify a faculty member who is most suited to evaluate the equivalence of the course (this can be either someone who is currently teaching or has previously taught a similar course here before and/or someone whose research interests are closest to the area). Go to them with as much background info as possible. Just showing your transcript is not sufficient for somebody to judge equivalency. Bring materials such as course syllabus, sample homeworks, course web site, or similar information so that they can make a recommendation And how does transfers for outside-cs (cognate) courses work? The same. Seek out a professor in an outside department who would be qualified to approve the transfer and approach them with the same form as above Do you have a list of outside-cs professors that I can contact? No. Just browse through the outside-cs department's webpage to identify a suitable professor I do not have any materials from my previous course. What should I do in order to get it transferred? Consult with the professor. He/she might choose to interview you or find other means to assess the course Ok. The professor has approved the transfer. What do I do now? For now, nothing. Just keep these approval forms handy with the professor's signature and submit them to the graduate coordinator when you turn in your complete plan of study. At that point, the AGS will approve them along with the rest of your plan of study Is there a deadline to have courses transferred? No, but it advisable to get them done as quickly as possible. Definitely before your plan of study is to be filed Can I transfer a course on (e.g., graduate AI) and also take graduate AI for credit here? Obviously not. All courses on your plan of study must be pairwise disjoint in content Will a transferred course count toward my breadth requirement? Yes, if it is a CS course (since breadth requirements are imposed only over CS courses). 13